Facing the Darkest Day with Celtic Hope
- Christine Dorman
- 5 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The darkest day is coming. That's not a doomsday prediction. It comes each year. Actually, it occurs twice a year, in June in the Southern Hemisphere, then again in December in the Northern Hemisphere. I am speaking, of course, about the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year (in each respective hemisphere), and the one with the fewest hours of daylight. This year, in the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice will be on December 21st.
The winter solstice is neither a religious event nor folklore. It is an astronomical reality. In many ancient cultures, religious rituals and abundant folklore developed in response to the phenomenon. After all, the retreat of the sun can seem pretty scary if you don't know why it's happening.
Because of science, study, and experience, we know that the winter solstice will come--and it will go. In fact, we humans have learned that this solstice is a turning point. After the darkest day, things will get better. Little by little, the days will get longer. The amount of daylight will increase, eventually chasing away the cold and turning winter into spring.
In truth, the ancient Celts figured that out a long time ago. They faced the winter solstice with hope. Celtic folk customs related to the winter solstice, as well as certain beliefs of Celtic spirituality provide insights for facing metaphorical darkest days that occur throughout our lives.
To learn about Celtic folklore beliefs and customs related to the winter solstice, and how the Celtic perspective offers hope, click the link to my post, "Winter Solstice: the Darkest Day's Celtic Hope." Enjoy!
Wishing you a safe, peace-filled Chanukah, a Merry Christmas, and joy in the New Year! I’ll be back January 5, 2026, with a post about Celtic trees with bad reputations but good benefits.
